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Summer 2002

Features

It's a myth that wildfires burn with greater ferocity in wilderness areas than in population zones. That the reverse is true is another myth. What is certain when it comes to wildfire is that environmental elements like wind and drought conditions, along with vegetation, land-management practices,... Details

Get out and ride."There's something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of a human." —Winston ChurchillJust 20 horse steps from Highway 191 West onto the Fawn Pass trail, the rumbling sound of speeding semi trucks is hushed. One mile in and I can still hear the steady hum of... Details

Floating the Missouri Headwaters.“Rivers are highways that move on," observed Blaise Pascal, "and bear us whither we wish to go.” If you wish to float back in time this spring, to a place little changed from the days of Lewis and Clark, where the watery landscape resonates with the histories of... Details

Turning 30 wasn’t difficult for me, but I had reservations about 33. Fine lines have sprouted around my eyes, like the map of a well-developed city. My yoga teacher pokes my belly when I’m in warrior pose and says, “What’s that?” I never get the look from guys anymore (did my girlfriends and I... Details

All about Strong Frames.What this morning was a pile of hollow metal tubes is now taking the shape of a bike. After hours of measuring, cutting, fitting, aligning, and cleaning, the most critical and holiest of all bike-building activities, welding, is about to begin. Winding the electrode through... Details

"Angle for the pond itself," Henry Thoreau advises, "the hook of hooks!" Walden Pond had no silver rainbows in his day, but our beloved clear Gallatin does. And so we fish for fish, though we have the opportunity of seeing the river all the while. Because it is a green riparian corridor that... Details

Departments

"Rivers are highways that move on," observed Blaise Pascal, "and bear us whither we wish to go." If you wish to float back in time this summer, to a place little changed from the days of Lewis and Clark, where the watery landscape resonates with the histories of American Indians, fur trappers, and... Details

And what they mean to Montana.On a mid-April day with deceivingly spring-like weather, I went running on a dirt road about 10 miles outside Bozeman. My original plan had been to drive to a trail in the foothills of the Bridgers, but seeing that that road was a veritable bog, I realized that the... Details

Considering the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition covered more miles in what is now Montana than in any other state, had some of their most dramatic experiences and life-threatening adventures here, that we’re rapidly approaching the bicentennial of this cross-country odyssey, and that... Details

Gallatin Peak, at 11,015 feet, is the tallest of the Spanish Peaks south of Bozeman. While visible from town (it’s the one on the left), it is surprisingly isolated from civilization, with a clear view of its full span from top to bottom only available after many miles of trudging through the... Details

This is the best season to see the hazy band of the Milky Way, stretching high across the east from north to south at nightfall in June. In July, it's higher as night begins, and by August, it stretches overhead from northeast to southwest as darkness descends, pivoting into the northwest with the... Details

Last December, American Wildlands (AWL), a conservation group headquartered in Bozeman, filed a citizens’ petition on behalf of over 2,000 individuals, more than 75 area businesses, and 15 other organizations requesting the state to list the Gallatin River as an Outstanding Resource Water. In March... Details

For as long as most people can remember, Bozeman has suffered from an identity crisis. Cow town, college town, ski town, tourist town, "New West" yuppie town — just what is this place, anyway? The answer, of course, is that Bozeman is all these things. It’s a town of rich history and broad... Details

Every year I suffer through the spring snows, frosts, and winds, waiting to embrace my summer passion: water. Some say that the only way to enjoy the gift of water our lady summer bestows on us is by doing something pricey, e.g., waterskiing, rafting, or kayaking. I say bull. And if you promise not... Details

Anglers have dredged up the mysteries of the depths of western streams for decades with the use of flies graced with the occasional lead split shot. The weight aids the fly in probing deep into watery holes, beyond where our feeble land-based eyes can see, to the world of large trout with lazy,... Details

"When they saw me, wet and covered with blood, they became excusably excited and wanted to know what was the matter. I told them that I had been killing a grizzly. ‘But what did you kill him with?’ they said. ‘Your gun is here in camp.’ ‘Well,’ I answered, ‘as you fellows did not come when I yelled... Details

"Does the wind blow this way here all the time? asked the eastern visitor. 'No mister,' replied the cowboy. 'It'll maybe blow this way for a week or ten days, and then it'll change and blow like hell for a while.'"-K. Ross Toole, The Uncommon LandMontana lies beneath a giant weather war zone where... Details

Gear Reviews

When it comes to outdoor gear, my tastes slurp on the meager sundae of practicality. Last winter I had the opportunity to pit Birten Todd's locally manufactured Madison Fly Reel against the rigors of my pragmatism. Machined of aircraft-quality aluminum in Bozeman, Montana, the Madison is laser-... Details

Seeing a grizzly in the wild can be a thrilling experience — its massive, brown body; those powerful jaws; that great, lumbering stride. But these qualities are best enjoyed from a safe distance. When you round a bend in the trail and find yourself face-to-face with an angry, 600-pound bruin, its... Details

A necessity for the modern world.Pack it in, pack it out. Over the years, this popular backpacker’s mantra has become one of the most sacred tenets of outdoor recreation. Want to test the theory? Try chucking an empty beer can into the water next time you’re camped with some friends at a high... Details

Additional Articles

Our own local marathon, joining the path taken by Lewis and Clark in their expedition west, will return for its third year on September 29th. The 26.2-mile course has had some slight changes this year. Runners will start at Jackson Creek Road next to the Malmborg School, run over Kelly Canyon Road... Details

Get ready for a sumptuous summer of Shakespearean proportions. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks theatre ensemble commemorates its 30th anniversary by performing two of Shakespeare's most entertaining plays, Henry IV, Part I and The Comedy of Errors. Break out the picnic basket, grab a comfy lawn... Details

If you want to get in some good rock-climbing without the approach and commitment of an alpine climb, "the Canyon" is your spot. Gallatin Canyon’s gneiss formations are close by, just long and exposed enough to get your heart going, and many climbs see very little traffic. The climbing’s tricky,... Details

These are some of my favorite mountain bike rides in the area. They are fun and not so technical that you’ll have to go real slow, but not wide open enough to go super fast. They’ll scare you and challenge you, but you won’t disintegrate if you wreck.Cave GulchThis had a fire go through it the year... Details

Book Reviews

The seasons have changed. The death of winter has brought flourished life to the mountains, canyons, and valleys. Alpine moisture has changed from a solid to a liquid form. Sporting enthusiasts have also changed their form, from snow sliders, to river riders.Over the past decade, kayaking has... Details